
Focus on Waste Management and Recycling
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The Beam on Green series is a quarterly report that highlights key aspects of the green economy, including emerging jobs, sector trends, employer needs, and new businesses. Each issue focuses on a specific subsector within the green economy. The term “green economy” broadly refers to activities, actions, and initiatives designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints within a defined geographic area.
There have been renewed commitments from governments, organizations, residents, and various groups across the country to adopt processes and avenues to reduce carbon footprints generated by human activities. As the consequences of inaction become more evident through events caused by climate change, there is a clear shift in the perspectives of individuals and businesses toward a cleaner and greener environment. The three main levels of government are setting targets and creating enforcement mechanisms that reward parties contributing to these targets. For instance, the Government of Canada introduced carbon pollution pricing in 2019 and is intensifying efforts to increase the costs for individual and industrial emitters. Local cities and municipalities are also increasing efforts to lower emissions by developing efficient transportation systems, encouraging smart recycling, and promoting efficient building practices. The Beam on Green project aims to capture the activities surrounding the green economy in the London Economic Region, including emerging and evolving occupations, associated skills, and job opportunities.
The green economy is rapidly evolving but has been around for a while. The drive for a greener and cleaner environment has been inspired by various evident and recurring events, such as increased temperatures affecting regions across the country and forest fires in B.C. and Quebec. Organizations renewing their commitment to environmental sustainability have also been a strong factor. In this series, we divided the green economy into four identified areas where impact is most felt across the economy in terms of growth and continued investment. These four areas are only transitory, as the green economy space is dynamic and continues to develop. These areas are renewable energy, green vehicle manufacturing, waste management and recycling, and green building and construction.
This report will focus on waste management and recycling, highlighting opportunities and trends within this industry in the London Economic Region.

Data on waste diversion and disposal in Canada has been tracked since 2002, according to the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators report prepared by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Between 2002 and 2020, Canada has maintained a relatively steady output for waste disposed of from residential and non-residential sources. However, diverted waste from both sources has continued to grow, particularly for residential waste, whose diversion rate has grown by about 8% over the last two decades (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2023).
Recent research from the University of Waterloo finds that Canada’s electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) has more than tripled in the last two decades. This research found that Canada’s e-waste generation per person has risen from 8.3 kg in 2000 to 25.3 kg in 2020. The number is expected to rise in the future, prompting a call for efforts to better manage these wastes through reducing consumption and recycling, which may open more opportunities for job creation. The report attributes the growth in e-waste in Canada to consumer habits and the country’s booming population (University of Waterloo, 2023).
Municipal governments manage the collection, recycling, composting, and disposal of household waste, while provincial and territorial authorities establish waste reduction policies and programs, and approve and monitor waste management facilities and operations (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2022).
As of 2022, the Province of Ontario generates the highest combined waste, accounting for 40% of the overall waste Canada produces—10.7 million tonnes—followed by Quebec, which generates just over half of this figure. Waste in Ontario has increased significantly over the last few years since 2014, with an average yearly increase of 196,000 tonnes and a cumulative total of 1.57 million tonnes of waste disposed of in 2022. Within the same year, residential sources made up 35% (3.72 million tonnes), while non-residential sources constituted 65% (7.01 million tonnes) (Statistics Canada, 2024).
Figure 1 illustrates a gradual increase in Canada’s cumulative waste disposal over the past two decades. While variations exist in the disposal rates of different material types, this trend underscores the critical need for strategic waste management strategies at all levels. Optimizing waste diversion efforts and capitalizing on emerging economic opportunities within the waste management sector are essential for mitigating the environmental impacts of waste disposal.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 38-10-0032-01 Disposal of waste, by source
Furthermore, the Ontario government has implemented a series of policies, rules, and regulations designed to guide and direct subordinate government bodies in aligning with the objectives of minimizing waste, ensuring responsible disposal, and promoting effective waste diversion. These guidelines include:
- Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016
- Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016
- Environmental Protection Act
- Environmental Assessment Act
- Nutrient Management Act
- Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement
Source: Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy , Retrieved December 17th, 2024 (https://www.ontario.ca/page/waste-management#section-9)
The Waste Management and Remediation Services industry (NAICS 562) in Ontario is undergoing significant evolution. An analysis of job postings reveals a growing demand for specialized skills and expertise across various domains.
Several new and specialized roles are emerging within the sector, reflecting the industry’s focus on sustainability, technology, and circular economy principles:
- Circular Economy Analyst: Designs strategies to promote reuse, recycling, and sustainable waste systems.
- Sustainable Waste Management Specialist: Develops environmentally friendly waste management practices and policies.
- E-Waste Recycling Technician: Specializes in handling and processing electronic waste.
- Waste-to-Energy Technician: Operates and maintains facilities that convert waste into energy.
- Zero Waste Coordinator: Leads efforts to achieve zero waste goals.
- Biofilter Systems Technician: Oversees the installation and maintenance of biofiltration systems.
- Plastic Recycling Innovation Specialist: Develops new methods for recycling plastics.
- Composting Program Coordinator: Manages composting operations and community programs.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analyst: Assesses emissions and develops strategies to reduce carbon footprints.
Existing roles are also evolving in response to changing industry demands:
- Environmental Compliance Officer: Ensures compliance with environmental regulations and standards.
- Hazardous Waste Operations Specialist: Manages the handling and disposal of hazardous waste.
- Recycling Program Manager: Enhances the efficiency and scope of recycling programs.
- Environmental Remediation Specialist: Handles the cleanup and restoration of contaminated sites.
- Sustainability Data Analyst: Analyzes data to improve sustainability outcomes.
- Smart Waste Management Technician: Implements IoT-based solutions for waste collection and processing.
- Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Operator: Operates and manages sorting systems for separating recyclables.
- Landfill Gas Collection System Operator: Oversees systems that capture methane and other gases from landfills for energy generation.
An analysis of the Waste Management and Remediation Services industry within the London Economic Region reveals a relatively stable job market. While other counties in the region have experienced slight variations in employment, Elgin County—despite having the lowest initial employment levels—has demonstrated strong job growth. Overall, the outlook for this industry remains positive, with further job creation anticipated as government interventions aimed at waste reduction and resource recovery continue to be implemented.

Data Source: Lightcast, 2025
Figure 3 shows that Public Works Maintenance Equipment Operators and Related Workers constitute the largest occupational category hired within the Waste Management and Remediation Services industry in the London Economic Region. This category encompasses a wide range of roles, including arborists, truck operators, and public works maintenance equipment operators. Transport truck drivers and utility managers—including roles such as Director of Waste Management, Sewage Treatment Plant Manager, and Liquid Waste Facility Manager—also represent significant hiring categories in the region.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE
Civil Engineering Technology (Co-op)
Civil Engineering Technology is a three-year Ontario college advanced diploma program. Students will learn the design of steel frame and reinforced concrete buildings. Courses are focused on developing the skills to select and test construction materials, proficiency with computer assisted design and drafting, electronic surveying methods, and writing technical reports. Graduating students will enter the workforce with experience through twelve months of paid co-op.
Career opportunities in the Civil Engineering Technologist occupation focuses on projects such as infrastructure renewal, new subdivision servicing, site/lot development/grading plans, sewer and watermain design and storm water management.
Environmental Technology
Environmental Technology is a three-year Ontario college advanced diploma program combined with a co-op component. Students will study and gain experience in environmental processes that provide foundational knowledge of air, water and waste management issues. Graduates will feel confident entering the workforce after hands-on learning combined with 12 – 16 months of co-op training.
Fanshawe’s Environmental Technology program provides a mix of related paid work experiences with classroom theory during alternating periods of work and study. Upon completion, graduate gain up to 16 months of work experience preparing them for employment opportunities with: provincial and federal government regulatory agencies, petrochemical companies, environmental consultants, pollution measurement control, water and wastewater facilities, public/private research enterprises.
Source: ontariocolleges.ca, Fanshawe.ca
WESTERN UNIVERSITY
Masters of Environmental Sustainability (MES)
The MES program develops graduates with the knowledge and professional skills needed to jump-start a career upon graduation through a layered experiential learning approach.
What makes the MES program unique is its fast-paced, dynamic, interdisciplinary nature designed to develop graduates who are competitive in the job market for environment professional positions with the potential for industry leadership.
Source: uwo.ca
Statistics Canada provides biannual data on active businesses, enabling local planners to understand the dynamics of different economic sectors. The data differentiates between businesses with employees and those operated as sole proprietorships.
Chart 2 demonstrates a consistent level of economic activity within the sector across all three counties. In Elgin County, the number of active businesses with employees has remained relatively stable in recent years. On the contrary, Middlesex County experienced a decline in active businesses as of June 2023, which has not yet recovered, primarily impacting smaller businesses. Oxford County witnessed the most significant growth, with the number of active businesses with employees doubling within two years.

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns – Customized Extractions.
Figure 5 reveals a notable increase in the number of active businesses without employees within the Waste Management and Remediation Services sector across all counties, suggesting a surge in entrepreneurial activity within this segment.
Middlesex County experienced a substantial increase, more than doubling within a two-year period. Elgin County also witnessed a significant jump in this category between 2021 and 2022. While growth in Oxford County has been consistent, it has occurred at a more gradual pace.

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns – Customized Extractions.
To identify emerging occupations and track changes in job posting frequency within the Waste Management and Remediation Services sector, this analysis utilizes data from the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board’s job aggregator platform, examining job posting trends from 2020 to 2023.
This analysis focuses on employers within the Waste Management and Remediation Services sector who posted approximately 10 or more job openings annually between 2020 and 2023. Data was sourced from the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board’s job aggregator platform.
This analysis examines job postings filtered using keywords related to the waste management and recycling sector, such as “Sustainability,” “Reduction,” “Recovery,” “Waste,” “Recycling,” “Wastewater,” and “Water.”
It should be noted that this analysis:
- Captures job postings, not individual job openings. Therefore, a single job posting may represent multiple available positions.
- Includes both new and replacement positions.
This information provides valuable insights into employment trends and emerging job roles within the sector. It aims to understand the dynamics of the job market within the Waste Management and Recycling industry by analyzing job posting trends over a three-year period.
Online job postings data was collected from a regional jobs aggregator to determine the frequency in unique postings related to the Waste Management and Recycling industry. It is important to note that unique job postings may not accurately reflect the total number of available positions, as multiple vacancies may be listed as a single opening.
In Figure 6 below, a total of 43 unique job postings were recorded for the waste management and recycling industry jobs in 2022, after which there was a slight drop the following year. But in 2024, there was a rebound in job postings which far exceeded the number recorded in 2022.

Source: Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board Online Jobs Aggregator
Note: Unique job postings indicate that the volume of positions is not accounted for and multiple job vacancies are inputted as a lone opening.
The Waste Management and Recycling industry continues to demonstrate significant economic activity, as evidenced by various indicators and a consistent increase in job postings, encompassing both entry-level and experienced roles.
Figure 7 illustrates sustained hiring across established positions such as Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators, Utility Managers, Chemical Technologists and Technicians, Public Works and Maintenance Labourers, and Managers in Engineering, Architecture, Science, and Information Systems.
The emergence of new and specialized roles in 2024, such as Demonstration Systems Engineers, Recycling and Waste Management Specialists (Autowaste), Recycling Managers (Autowaste), Sustainability Specialists, Solid Waste Planning Coordinators, and Solid Waste Management Technicians, indicates a dynamic and evolving job market within the sector.
The chart also highlights the evolving nature of the waste management job market in Ontario, with specific roles like “Engagement Coordinator – Sustainability” and “Administrative staff” seeing increased attention in recent years. Meanwhile, technical and specialized roles like “Stormwater Engineering Technologist” might require further investigation to understand the decline in postings.


Figure 7: Job postings by title
Source: Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board Online Jobs Aggregator
Note: The absence or low frequency of postings in a certain year does not interpret to the decline of jobs but rather could reflect the saturation of skillsets that doesn’t necessitate a need for hiring in that particular year.
Many sectors of the London economy are contributing to the growth and expansion of the Waste Management and Recycling sub-industry, and while the private sector is the principal driver for growth, it is important to highlight the impact and potential of other sectors and the vast amount of opportunities for development.
Through job postings data collected by the Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board’s job aggregator website, historical jobs data were collected to determine the frequency of job positions for job titles relating to the Waste Management and Recycling industry. Chart 5 below shows the number of online job postings in the waste management and recycling industry across different sectors from 2022 to 2024.
The number of related jobs posted has generally increased over the last three years, with the exception of for-profit corporations. This is likely due to increased efforts to ensure waste produced locally is maximized and also the creation of new industries that are mission-driven. The highest number of job postings from the private sector, based on the years referenced in the report, was recorded in 2022. Postings within the sector subsided considerably in the following year and almost rebounded in 2024.
Apart from the for-profit corporations, government administrations also contribute significantly to the growth of this industry in the London region. Job postings from municipalities, cities, and townships have also increased significantly in the last few years.

Source: Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board Online Jobs Aggregator
A diverse range of employers within the London Economic Region play a significant role in the Waste Management and Recycling sector. The following organizations have consistently demonstrated a high volume of job postings within this sector over the past three years:
- Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc.
- Convertus Group
- Miller Waste Systems Inc.
- Emterra Group
- County of Oxford
- City of London
- AECOM Technology Corporation
- Stericycle Inc.
- Dillon Consulting Limited
- Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
- R.V. Anderson Associates Limited
- The Town of Tillsonburg
The London Economic Region in Ontario encompasses several municipalities, townships, and counties, each implementing various waste management and recycling initiatives. These initiatives are important drivers for growth, habitual changes, and expansion of the industry. Below is an overview of these efforts, along with references to available planning documents:
City of London
Performance Targets:
- 60% Waste Diversion Goal: By implementing the Green Bin program and enhancing recycling efforts, the city aims to divert 60% of residential waste from landfills by 2025.
- Landfill Life Expectancy: Expanding the W12A Landfill to ensure long-term waste management needs are met.
Program-Specific Metrics:
- Green Bin Program Participation: Tracking adoption rates of the new curbside organic waste collection system.
- Blue Box Recycling: Monitoring the efficiency and contamination rates of recyclable materials.
- Special Waste Collection: Evaluating participation in programs for hazardous and electronic waste disposal.
Source: 60% Waste Diversion Action Plan
Oxford County
Oxford County, Ontario, has developed a comprehensive Waste Management Strategy to enhance waste diversion and recycling efforts. Key performance measures and targets include:
- Waste Diversion Rate: As of 2023, the County achieved an overall landfill waste diversion rate of approximately 45%, encompassing both residential and Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) waste materials.
- Program Performance Metrics: The County has identified the need to establish clear diversion targets and program metrics to effectively communicate performance to the public and guide educational initiatives. This includes developing metrics that convey efficiency, effectiveness, and community impact.
- Annual Reporting: Oxford County publishes annual waste management reports summarizing the performance of its waste management facilities and programs. These reports provide data on waste diversion achievements, landfill service life expectancy, and other key metrics.
Source: County of Oxford Waste Management Strategy 2014 and 2023 Annual Waste Management Reports
Middlesex Centre
Middlesex Centre, Ontario, is actively enhancing its waste management and recycling services to align with provincial waste diversion goals. Key initiatives include:
- Green Bin Program Implementation: The municipality is reviewing the implementation of an organic green bin program, with plans to introduce it in the fourth quarter of 2024.
- Collaboration with Bluewater Recycling Association (BRA): Middlesex Centre partners with BRA to manage waste diversion programs and report on environmental commitments. BRA provides curbside pick-up of household waste and recycling for residents, offering a user-pay system that encourages waste reduction.
- Contribution to Provincial Waste Diversion Targets: Ontario has set ambitious waste diversion goals: 30% by 2020, 50% by 2030, and 80% by 2050. Middlesex Centre’s initiatives, including the potential introduction of the green bin program, aim to contribute to these provincial targets.
Source: Middlesex Centre Meetings and middlesexcentre.ca/services/residents/waste-recycling
WORKFORCE DEMAND
- The push toward a greener and circular economy is driving efforts to enhance recycling and reduce landfill contributions, even as waste generation continues to rise across Canada. This transition underscores the need for specialized and evolving skills within the waste management and recycling workforce.
- Governments at all levels are making significant strides in achieving smart waste management goals. Local governments and county administrations have recorded notable successes by investing in public education and citizen engagement initiatives, which, in turn, create diverse workforce opportunities—from operational roles to community outreach positions.
- Demand forecasts indicate strong growth in Waste Management and Remediation Services jobs in the London Economic Region, highlighting the sector’s potential as a driver of employment.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
- With the expansion of the Waste Management and Remediation Services sector, both new and existing roles are evolving. Training and upskilling will be critical to sustaining this growth. For example, St. Thomas’s new automotive plant will require advanced skills to manage battery production waste under specialized regulations. However, such expertise may not currently exist in the local talent pool, necessitating targeted training initiatives.
- Emerging roles are predominantly mid-level and entry-level positions, while evolving roles are often observed in leadership and regulatory capacities.
- The private sector is playing a pivotal role in driving job creation in the industry, with substantial contributions from public and non-profit organizations as well.
LOCAL TRAINING
- As opportunities in Waste Management and Recycling grow, it is essential to continuously assess skill gaps and ensure local educational institutions provide accessible training programs tailored to this industry.
- Continuous education should be prioritized to blend existing expertise with emerging needs in the sector.
- Currently, the London Economic Region lacks targeted programs specifically catering to the Waste Management and Recycling industry. While general Engineering and Engineering Technologist programs are available, there is a pressing need to develop specialized courses such as Sustainable Waste Management, Water and Wastewater Technician, and Environmental Technician programs. Such initiatives would not only equip individuals with the necessary skills but also inspire environmentally conscious careers. Other regions in Ontario already offer these programs, presenting an opportunity for the London Economic Region to follow suit.
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Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2022, January 28). Municipal solid waste: a shared responsibility. Retrieved from Canada.ca: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/municipal-solid/shared-responsibility.html
Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2023). Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Solid Waste Diversion and Disposal. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from Canada.ca: www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/solid-waste-
Statistics Canada. (2024, July 7). Disposal of waste, by source. Retrieved from Canada.ca: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=3810003201
University of Waterloo. (2023). Canadian e-waste has tripled, new study finds. Waterloo News. Retrieved 2024, from https://uwaterloo.ca/news/media/canadian-e-waste-has-tripled-new-study-finds